Root to Custom Rom: Step-by-Step

[ssbsts#AC]

First off, thanks to all the great people here on the forums and the wealth of knowledge that is shared. I have written up this step-by-step mainly so that info is compiled into 1 thread for rooting, custom recovery, custom rom, etc. Maybe someone will find it useful, maybe not. But here it goes.

********************************************************
GET THE DRIVERS FOR YOU PHONE
********************************************************

1) Download LG Mobile Phone Support tool
2) DISCONNECT your phone.
3) Install the application to your pc and then launch it.
4) On the main window choose to install the USB driver. Choose "Sprint" as the provider and "LGLX670" as the Model.
5) Wait while the app downloads and installs 4 or 5 separate drivers.
6) Wait until all of the drivers are installed and windows tells you that your device is ready.
7) Enable USB debugging (Settings -> Applications -> Development -> USB Debugging) on your phone.
8) Plug in your phone via usb.
9) Your phone should be recognized and ready to go.

********************************************************
DOWNLOAD/INSTALL THE ANDROID SDK
********************************************************

1) Download Android SDK. I recommend ZIP archive.
2) Extract archive. To C: for instance.
3) Run "SDK Manager" and when it prompts you to update only install "Android SDK Platform-tools 12".
4) Open the command line, navigate to <android sdk root>\platform-tools and type "adb devices":

C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb devices
List of devices attached
A0000028DE78D4 device

You should see your device serial number. Everything is good to go.

********************************************************
DOWNLOAD GINGERSNAP ROOTING UTILITY
********************************************************
PRE-REQUISITES: Make sure your phone has the "D" baseband.
You need .NET 4 Framework on your pc.
You need Visual C++ 2008 installed on your pc.

1) Download the file: http://forum.androidcentral.com/lg-...ot-utility-one-click-root-multi-platform.html
2) Unpack the archive
3) Reboot your phone so its fresh
4) Attach your phone via usb if it is not already. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled.
5) Execute "Gingersnap.exe" inside the Gingersnap dir. Hit "GO" and it should take about a minute. When its done it will reboot your phone and then just look for "SuperUser" app in your app drawer.
6) To validate launch cmd prompt again and make sure you can get root access
C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell
$ su
su
#

'#' indicates you are root.

****************************************
INSTALL A CUSTOM RECOVERY
****************************************
I am using xionia clockwork recovery.

1) Download the files from this thread.
2) You should have "flash_image.zip" and "xionia_cwma_<version>.rar". Unpack "xionia_cwma_<version>.rar" and flash_image.zip so that it is xionia_cwma_<version>.img and flash_image.
3) Copy these 2 files to the root of your phone.
4) Make sure you Turn OFF USB Storage, but that "USB Debugging" is still on.
5) To flash via adb open a shell session as root and enter the following commands.
C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb shell
$ su
su
# mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock5 /system
mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock5 /system
# cat /sdcard/flash_image > /system/bin/flash_image
cat /sdcard/flash_image > /system/bin/flash_image
/sdcard/flash_image: No such file or directory
# chmod 755 /system/bin/flash_image
chmod 755 /system/bin/flash_image
# mv /system/etc/install-recovery.sh /system/etc/install-recovery.sh.bak
mv /system/etc/install-recovery.sh /system/etc/install-recovery.sh.bak
# mount -o remount,ro -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock5 /system
mount -o remount,ro -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock5 /system
# flash_image recovery /sdcard/xionia_cwma_12518.6.img
flash_image recovery /sdcard/xionia_cwma_12518.6.img
# reboot recovery
reboot recovery
6) Custom recovery is installed now. Reboot and go to the recovery screen and create a Nandroid Backup.
7) Key combo to boot custom recovery from powered off is Volume Down + Home + Power and release keys at LG splash.
8) In custom recovery go to backup/restore and create a backup. This will be stored on your sdcard.

********************************************************
YOU ARE READY TO FLASH A CUSTOM ROM
********************************************************

1) Before Flashing You Can Backup Call History and SMS with these apps:
SsmBackupRestore
CallLogBackupRestore
2) Download RebornROM
3) You created a backup, right?
4) You have the rom downloaded. Do not open it, do not extract it, do not rename it.
5) Place on root of sdcard.
6) Reboot to recovery.
7) Wipe data
8) Wipe cache
9) Wip dalvik-cache (advanced -> wipe dalvik-cache).
8) Flash Reborn ROM (install zip from sdcard -> choose zip - RebornRom).
9) Reboot and enjoy!


************************************************************************************
(IF YOU NEED DROPBOX/KEEPASS TO ACCESS GOOGLE LIKE ME)
Open a cmd prompt on your pc and navigate to ~\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools.
Issue "adb devices" command to make sure your device is recognized.
Assuming that your device is the only 1 listed you can issue adb commands with the "-d" switch to only target that device by default.

To install an app, for example Titanium Backup, simply issue the following command:
adb -d install <full path to apk file on pc>

For example:
adb -d install C:\android-sdk-windows\TitaniumBackup_latest.apk

Make sure you receive a "success" message.

Download dropbox
Download Keepassdroid

Install these 2 apps. Open dropbox, download your keepass database, and you are good to go.

*******************************************************************
USE LINK2SD TO MOVE ALL YOUR APPS TO SDCARD

Full writeup on link2sd by developer.
Install link2sd.
You will need a partition tool, i use MiniTool Partition Wizard.
Hook up your phone via usb and enable USB Copy so your sdcard is visible by the partition manager.
You want to create a second partition on your sdcard by shrinking the existing partition to create space.
Create a new (2nd) partition and set it as primary and FAT32. Commit the changes.
Open link2sd on your phone and specify that the 2nd partition is fat32. Reboot your phone.
Start linking all your apps to the new partition and free up a bunch of space!

 

[brittiny]

So I have not been able to get this to work for 2 days now and after reading your guide I noticed that you say to turn off usb storage and the other guide didn't say to do that. So if I understand this correct I extract the files and put them onto the E: drive, turn OFF usb storage and then do the cmd commands?

 

[sonicbluemustang]

Hey SS you forgot to make a Nandroid Backup of your system after you install the Custom Recovery.

 

[dizzle16]

The backup should be done after rom is flashed...or not. Either way you need a rom. Also backups are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED but not mandatory.

My Optimus S+Scott Pilgrim= Awesomeness

 

[sonicbluemustang]

Oh i see he has it in number8. Yes a nandroid of stock would be nice down the road.

 

[brittiny]

Oh i see he has it in number8. Yes a nandroid of stock would be nice down the road.

Hey would you know if I turn usb storage off when I am flashing the custom rom too?

 

[sonicbluemustang]

Hey would you know if I turn usb storage off when I am flashing the custom rom too?

no brit if you flash a rom from inside custom recovery u dont worry about that.
But if you are trying to flash a custom recovery first with adb then you need to enable USB Debugging in settings/applications/development.
hope this helps

 

[uberjam545]

great tutorial I see it helped someone else out before i even saw it which is awsome